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Former Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov goes down in a shootout with Russian troops. Hopes for a settlement of the five-year-old Chechen war are jeopardized, while the killing of one of the most-wanted men in Russia affords a propaganda opportunity for President Vladimir Putin.

Group Menatep Ltd. filed a suit for damages against the Russian government for damages after the break up of OAO Yukos. Menatep is the majority shareholder of Yukos and makes the case under the European Energy Charter Treaty.

Ukrainian states that favor close ties with Russia raise the possibility that they may seek autonomy if the recent contested election victory of Viktor Yanukovych is not upheld.

Student protesters will be monitoring the upcoming presidential runoff election for signs of fraud. The group, which claims harassment by police, says it will protest if signs of fraud are detected. The government maintains that the group is a Western-backed organization designed to topple governments in the former Soviet Union.

Ethnic violence between Uzbeks and Kyrgyz in Kyrgyzstan have escalated, leaving 46 people dead. The interim government, lead by Roza Otunbayeva, has been trying to restore order and extend its authority since President Kurmanbek Bakiyev was overthrown in a coup two months back.

Afghan Interior Minister Hanif Atmar and chief of intelligence Amrullah Saleh have resigned their posts following disagreements with President Hamid Karzai's plan to attempt reconciliation with the Taliban and to offer amnesty to some whose cases are not clear-cut. A nationwide meeting to discuss a reconciliation plan was attacked by the Taliban. The government said the two officials were asked to leave after failing to ensure security for the meeting.

In the wake of a rebellion in Kyrgyzstan that has seen the formation of a new government and the fleeing of President Kurmanbek Bakiyev to hide out in his hometown, the United States government is attempting to establish new diplomatic ties. Of prime concern is an American airbase in the country that is a major supply conduit for American forces in Afghanistan.